This mourning dove likely found the stream to be a safe, shallow spot for a bath. Shallow water like this also permits stretching while cooling down. This bird behavior is not only normal but ...

A little larger than the mourning dove; generally brownish gray above ... contrasting sharply with the blackish flight feathers; blackish square-ended tail with prominent white terminal band.

A large, pale gray-buff dove with a black collar, noticeably larger than the mourning dove ... primaries and the brown wing coverts in flight. The undersides of the wings are pale.

After a long flight, shallow spots like this become a safe haven for mourning doves. The post The Simple Reason for This Odd Mourning Dove Motion appeared first on A-Z Animals.

This bird behavior is not only normal but necessary! After a long flight, shallow spots like this become a safe haven for mourning doves.